Environmental and climatic impacts of dust emissions from mines in Greenland

• Main Authors: Jørgensen, Christian Juncher, Søndergaard, Jens, Mosbech, Anders
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: Danish
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: Arctic; Greenland; Ice Sheet
• Online Access: https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/environmental-and-climatic-impacts-of-dust-emissions-from-mines-in-greenland(2b0aa554-b3ff-4fc1-a239-1602acb55138).html; https://pure.au.dk/ws/files/292938327/CMOS_2021_Environmental_and_climatic_impacts_of_dust_emissions_from_mines_in_Greenland_online.pdf

Emission and deposition of mineral dust in the Arctic can have direct and indirect impacts on the environment and climate depending on the chemical composition and size fraction of the dust particles. Large emissions of dust may arise from both natural and anthropogenic sources, such as proglacial deflation areas and mines, respectively. Over the last decades, there has been a growing interest in the extraction of raw materials in the Arctic and High Arctic parts of Greenland with potential impacts on both regional environment and climate. In order to understand the potential cumulative effects of increased mining activities on Arctic ecosystems and climate and to develop a more sustainable mining practice in a changing Arctic, the sources and impact of dust emissions on the ecosystems of the sensitive Arctic areas needs to be evaluated. This include an improved knowledge base of the complex positive and negative feedback mechanisms to ecosystem disturbances and accelerated melting of snow and ice. Our research focuses on addressing knowledge gaps and aims to provide an improved characterization of the spatiotemporal variability in dust emissions from both natural and anthropogenic sources in the Arctic. Further, the chemical composition and size fractionation of emitted/deposited dust will be used to better distinguish between natural and mining related impacts. In 2021, a new monitoring site will be established in West Greenland, with full season dust measurements and sample collection along a transect extending from the Greenland Ice Sheet to the western fjords. Results from the dust monitoring program will subsequently be used as input to atmospheric models to upscale the effects of both natural and mining related dust on a more regional level as well as to assess climate effects.